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12/13/18 01:30:00
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12/13 01:28 CST Kase gets 1st NHL hat trick as Ducks rally past Stars 6-3
Kase gets 1st NHL hat trick as Ducks rally past Stars 6-3
By JOE REEDY
AP Sports Writer
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) --- Ducks coach Randy Carlyle has called Ondrej Kase the
"Energizer Bunny" of his team.
Kase certainly had plenty of jump Wednesday night, rallying Anaheim to its
seventh victory in eight games.
The 23-year-old forward from the Czech Republic got his first NHL hat trick in
a 6-3 win over the Dallas Stars. Anaheim trailed 3-2 at the end of the second
period but scored four goals in the third, including three in a three-minute
span to take control.
"He's a guy that numerous times has been a clutch goal scorer. He's the type of
player that seems to hound the puck and be effective and now he's being
rewarded," Carlyle said.
Kase completed his hat trick at 10:45 of the third when he pounced on a loose
puck in front and put it past goalie Ben Bishop to tie the game at 3. Cam
Fowler had Anaheim's only other hat trick this season on Nov. 4 against
Columbus.
"I just closed my eyes and shot the puck. I had room, so I just tried to hit
the net," said Kase, who has played 134 career games. "It was amazing. I'm so
happy."
Brandon Montour, who had four points in the final 20 minutes, gave Anaheim the
lead 81 seconds later when he connected on a slap shot after Bishop was knocked
down by one of his own players.
Jakob Silfverberg then scored for the fourth straight game when he tapped in
the puck with his skate on a breakaway to extend the lead. Hampus Lindholm
added an empty-net goal as Anaheim got its sixth win when trailing after two
periods. John Gibson stopped 26 shots.
Kase missed the first 18 games of the season after sustaining a concussion in
the final preseason game but has a point in nine of the 15 games he has played.
The right wing has five goals and four assists in the past five games.
"He's got such a different skill level with his speed, his hands and his
offensive instincts. It's tough for defensemen to challenge," said Montour, who
had a career-high three assists.
Miro Heiskanen, Blake Comeau and Alexander Radulov scored in a five-minute span
during the second period for Dallas, which has dropped its last two games after
winning four straight. Devin Shore added two assists.
"It was a tale of three periods," said Bishop, who made 30 saves. "I think they
obviously took it to us in the first. We took it to them in the second. Then,
they took it back in the third."
Kase opened the scoring less than seven minutes into the game when he took a
pass from Pontus Aberg in front and beat Bishop for his third goal in four
games.
Heiskanen evened it on the power play when he got the rebound of a shot by
Jason Spezza and fired a slap shot past Gibson. Two minutes later, Dallas took
the lead when Shore fed Comeau near the far post for a wide-open shot. Rudulov
gave the Stars their second power-play goal of the period with a high wrist
shot from the right circle.
Kase pulled the Ducks to 3-2 late in the second with a wrist shot that went
between Bishop's legs.
MILESTONE NIGHT
Ryan Getzlaf had two assists to become the second player in Anaheim history to
go over 900 points in his career. The Anaheim captain, who has 901 points (255
goals, 646 assists), is the eighth active skater to reach that milestone. Teemu
Selanne is the franchise leader with 988 points.
"It's another step along the way. I'm in good company with Teemu and he's a
good guy to be chasing," Getzlaf said.
NOTES: Dallas won the season series 2-1. ... Anaheim has won its last six at
home against the Stars. ... Anaheim had a season-high 15 shots in the first
period. The last time it had 15 or more in the first 20 minutes was 16 against
Colorado on April 1 last season. ... It is the fifth time this season the Stars
have scored three or more goals in the second period. Three of those games have
been against the Ducks. ... Heiskanen, who leads NHL rookie defensemen with 16
points (six goals, 10 assists), has scored a point in three straight games (two
goals, two assists). ... Spezza has an assist in three consecutive games.
UP NEXT
Stars: Continue their road trip Thursday at San Jose.
Ducks: Begin their longest road trip of the season (six games) on Saturday in
Columbus.
___
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